OAKLAND — Even though Bob Geren and Ron Washington have spent a combined 17 years in the Oakland Athletics organization, there was still plenty to learn the past two days about the first two candidates to interview for the A’s manager vacancy.

“You pose specific questions about their managing style, how they would react to certain situations,” A’s assistant general manager David Forst said. “It’s a pretty healthy mix of questions — some in-game strategy, but there’s personality of handling off-field issues.”

Geren interviewed Tuesday, and Washington interviewed Wednesday. Both interviews lasted about 2-3 hours before a large group of A’s front-office employees.

“Both meetings were great,” Forst said. “There’s a lot of familiarity. We know both guys, but you don’t always get an opportunity to sit down for a couple of hours and really talk baseball philosophy.”

The group is general manager Billy Beane, Forst, special assistants Matt Keough and Billy Owens, scouting director Eric Kubota, director of player development Keith Lieppman, national field coordinator Chris Pittaro, baseball operations analyst Farhan Zaidi.

The A’s plan to interview more candidates next week but haven’t released any names. They haven’t ruled out any other in-house candidates yet.

Washington interviewed Tuesday with Florida, but that hasn’t changed the A’s timetable for hiring a manager — at least, not yet.

Orioles reward Perlozzo

BALTIMORE — As a reward for guiding the Baltimore Orioles through the most tumultuous two-month stretch in franchise history, Sam Perlozzo had the “interim” label removed from his job title and signed a three-contract as manager.

Perlozzo takes control of a team that has suffered through eight straight losing seasons, the longest such run since the Orioles moved from St. Louis in 1954.

“We’re going to go at it as hard as we can, and as long as we can, until we get a winner on this field,” he said. “I look for that to happen sooner than later.”

Perlozzo was promoted from bench coach to interim manager on Aug.4, taking over for Lee Mazzilli after the Orioles lost 16 of 18 to sink into fourth place in the AL East.

Stottlemyre slams Yanks boss

NEW YORK — Almost certain he’s stepping down after 10 years as New York Yankees pitching coach, Mel Stottlemyre had harsh words for George Steinbrenner and the owner’s treatment of manager Joe Torre.

Speaking in the Yankees clubhouse where he’s spent 21 seasons as a player and coach, Stottlemyre said he interpreted Steinbrenner’s statement after the Yankees’ elimination by the Angels as a slap at Torre. Steinbrenner said Tuesday: “I congratulate the Angels and their manager on the great job they’ve done.”

“I laughed when I saw it,” Stottlemyre said. “My first thoughts were, ‘What about Joe? Joe had done a hell of a job, too.’ To congratulate the other manager and not congratulate your own after what he’d done this year, I laughed.”

A Yankees coach since Torre took over as manager following the 1995 season, Stottlemyre criticized the schism between the team’s New York and Tampa, Fla., offices and said Torre’s job status shouldn’t be questioned.

Yanks’ Girardi has 2 interviews

MIAMI — Joe Girardi has no managerial experience, which may soon change.

The Yankees’ bench coach interviewed Wednesday in New York with two teams seeking a manager: the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Girardi spent 15 years as a major league catcher, then went into broadcasting in 2004. He came out of the booth to join the Yankees’ staff this season.

Garciaparra to the rescue

BOSTON — Nomar Garciaparra rescued two women who had fallen into Boston Harbor, his uncle and a witness told the Boston Herald.

Garciaparra, the former Red Sox shortstop who played for the Chicago Cubs last season, was in his Charlestown condominium with his uncle Friday night when they heard a scream and a splash, said the uncle, Victor Garciaparra.

As soon as the two-time American League batting champ ran out the door to help the woman, her friend also fell in, hitting her head on the pier, said Victor Garciaparra, who oversees his nephew’s business and charitable ventures.

Otto Warmbier was arrested in January 2016 at the end of a brief tourist visit to North Korea. He had been medically evacuated and was being treated at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center when he died at age 22.